Construction of water-ballast tanks for submarine and other submergible floating structures.



E. SCHNEIDER.

CONSTRUCTION OF WATER BALLAST TANKS FOH SUBMARINE AND OTHER SUBMERGIBLE- FLOATING smucruass.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. ll, I916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOURAPM c0 WASHINIimN. D. C.

Patented July 22, 1919.

- TED S E PA E OFFICE- EUGENE DER, LE G E ZQ mac-a nssrenon ,ro SCHNEIDER, & cm, or

mars, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY or FRANCE.

oons'rnuc'r on or WATER-BALLAST TANKS non SUBMARINE AND OTHER, SUB- MERGIBLE FLOATING lsrnuo'runns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J 1113 22, 1919.

Application filed February 11, 1 916. Serial N o. 77,713.

ToaZZ whomiit may concem: b

a Be it known thatI, EUcnNnSoHN mER, a citizen of the Republic o'f'France, residing atLe Greuzot, France, have invented a new and useful Improved Construction of Wauteri-Ballast Tanks for Submarines and other Submergible Floating Structures, whichls fully set forth in the tol-lowing'specifioatlon.

This invention has for its'object to-rprovidean improved construction of submarines whichwill allow of reducing the length of time required to cause such vessels to sink from the half-submerged position of navigation on the surface (with reduced buoyancy) into thejposition of complete 1mmersion. a

The manner in which this invention is to be performed isillustrated inthe accompanying" diagrammatic drawings in wh ch: Figures 1 and Zai e respectively a perspective side'elevation partly" in section and a vertical cross-section of the ordinary construction of the ballast tanks ofa submarine. v l i "Figs, 3'and i aresimilar respective views of'one constructional-example of the present invention, and a i a Figs. 5 and Gare similarrespective views of another construct onal example of the present inventlon.

a In a submarine the ballast tanks, by filling which the submarine is enabled be sunk from the positionof surfacenawgation into theposition of SHbHlQIYSlOIh fiI'G provided in the space'comprised between the inner and outer shells A and Hot the hull of the submarine. As shown in Figs.- 1 and 2 this space is sub-divided by vertical bulkheads C extending at right angles to the longitudinal plane of the submarine.

The ceiling or upperwall of the tanks-thus formed is constituted by the outer shell B the sections of which taken in planes parallel to the plane are approX1- mately horizontal, renderlng 1t dlificult to discharge the air therefrom and necessltati-ng-the provision of airdischarge ducts at both ends of each tank; ,a

Each tank; or compartment of the total ballast space has generally a water inlet cock D; at, its lower, parties, pre er y a proximately horizontal.

number-of air outlet'cocks E at its upper 'portion. In the filling operation the water enters through the inlet D with a velocity that varies at the same rate as the difference between the level of the water outside the .ballasttank, z' e; the level of surface navigation ofthe submarine and the level of the Water inside the ballast tank. {This difference of levels diminishes as the tanks gradually fill so that the velocity of the inflow of the water into the tank is much less toward the'end of the filling of the tank than it wasat the beginning.

This diminution ofvelocity of inflow is a great risk for the submarine, especially in cases where it is-required to sink the submarine from a position of surface navigation at half immersion into a position of: navigation wlth complete immersion.

It often happens that in order to take advantage of navigation at the surface -Wh1le keeplng in reserve the power of rapid descent intothe position of complete immersion, the submarine is navigated in a position of'semi-immersion with reduced buoyancy by having all its ballast tanks partly full. Now the portion of the ballast tanks that remains to be filled up is just the upper portion which fills-up most slowly. Besides, the complete discharge of the air which is necessary to allow the water to enter takes place slowly and with difficulty because the upper portion of theballast space is ap- Now according to that modification of the present invention which is exemplified in Figs. 3 and .4, a suitable number of special ballast tanks thatareintended to be used for the purpose of sinking the submarine from'its semi-submerged position of surface navigation into the 'position of navigation with complete immersion, are provided at suitablyselected points in the submarine and so constructed thattheymay be partially filled to allow of semi-submerged navigation, while the other ballast tanks are kept quite full the rapid filling of the partly filled special ballast tanks for the purpose of complete immersion of the submarine being obtained owing to the contraction of their upper portions through the use ofcom The consequence of this construction is that the upper space of the ballast tank Gr has a very small capacity compared with that of its lower space which has a large filling head.

Further, since the air contained in, the said tank encounters in escaping only surfaces that are vertical or at least have a steep upward slope, the said escaping air will be readily discharged through asingle apertureE. Y I

It will therefore be readily understood that if one or more such' ballast tanks Gr, suitably situated, are kept only partly filled for navigation with semi-immersion, while the. other ballast tanks are quite full, then the complete filling of the tanks Gr, and consequently the sinking of the submarine into the position of complete immersion, will be effected very quickly.

The invention may also be performed by constructing the bulkhead at one side of each ballast tank G of a single straight vertical partition C and constructing only the bulk head at the other side of the same tank G in the improved manner hereinbefore set forth. In otherwords, this would be equivalent to providing a ballast tank for semiimmersion similar to the one or the other of the semi-immersion half tanks that would be produced by sub-dividing the special ballast tank G of Figs. 3and 4: into two i by a, central vertical partition.

.According to the modificationillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, a special semi-immersion tank may be constructed by separating out from the lower portion of the ordinary ballast tank of a submarine a chamber G of suitable capacity by means of a partition C of any suitable shape steeply convex .toward its top; an air outlet pipe E being provided at the top of the chamber. Such a chamber G can be used in the same way as hereinbefore described as a special ballast tank for semi-immersion. c y

As a matter of fact water ballast tanks for. semi-immersion may be constructed according to this invention in various ways provided that all the constructions adopted shall comprise, as regards each such ballast tank, a chamber the lower portion of which is ofgreat capacity and is connected to an upper portion of small capacity. This said upper portion may, if desired, consist simply of aclischarge pipe of suitable diameter.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a submarine, a'ballast tank subdivided, to providea pluralityof tanks coextensive in depth, one of said subdivisions having a lower portion of large capacity and an upper air-outlet portion of smalhcapacity.

2. Ina submarine, a ballast tank subdivided to provide a plurality of tanks coextensive-in depth, one of said subdivisions having approaching walls leading to an upper air-outlet of small cross-section.

3. In a submarine, a ballast tank subdi vided to provide a plurality of tanks coextensive in depth, one of' said subdivisions having walls which approach both longitudinally and transversely and lead toan upperconnected by approaching walls to an upper air-outlet portion of small capacity.

5. In a submarine, a ballast tank subdivided to provide a plurality of tanks coextensive in depth, one of said subdivisions havingtap'proaching walls to facilitate the 7 rapid filling thereof, I I

6. In a submarine, in combination with a main ballast tank to obtain semi-submersion,

a tank to be filled for completesubmersion tank having approaching walls leading to an air-outlet of small cross-section.

and comprising a portion of large capacity 7. In asubmarine, in combination with a main ballast tank to obtainsemi-sirbmersion, a tank to be filled for complete submersion and comprising a lower portion of large capacity positioned relatively low in the ves- V sel whereby the same maybe completely filled under a large filling head, said lower portion being connected to an upper air outlet portion of small capacity. y I

8. In a submarine, in combination with a main ballast tank to obtain semi-submersion, i i

a tank to be filled for complete submersion and comprising a lower portion of large capacity positioned relatively low in the vessel whereby the same may be completely filled under a large filling head, said lower portion being connected by approaching walls to an upper air-outlet portion of small capacity. I

9. In a submarine, 1n comblnationwith a main ballast tank to obtain semi-submersion,

a tank to be filled for complete submersion and having the major portion of its capacity approximately at the level of the lower portion of said main ballast tank.

10. In a submarine, in combinationwitha' main ballast tank to obtain semi submeraion,

a tank to be filled for complete submersion contracted intermediate its length so as to provide a lower portion of large capacity and an upper air-outlet portion of small capacity.

11. In a submarine, in combination with a main ballast tank to obtain semi-submersion, a tank to be filled for complete submersion contracted by approaching walls intermedil0 ate its length so as to provide a lower portion of large capacity and an upper air-outlet EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

\Vitnesses: CHAS. P. PnEssLY, EMILE BERTRAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for me cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

. Washington, 1).0. 

